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August 3, 2004
Reading Orwell in 2004
Just received an email from Randy Cauthen of Rhetoricians for Peace about the 1984+20 project. According to the website:
This project is designed to promote a worldwide reading and discussion of Orwell's 1984 in October of 2004, immediately before an American election that will be haunted by Orwellian themes. The members of Rhetoricians for Peace believe that Orwell's novel has a great deal to teach us about the nature of political truth, the manipulation of language, and our responsibilities as world citizens.For more information, check out the NCTE Orwell page or go to the main Rhetoricians for Peace page.The project is sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and began at the College Composition and Communication Conference in March of 2004, with a motion by Rhetoricians for Peace member Harriet Malinowitz. The full text of the motion, which passed unanimously, is: "The intentional manipulation of public discourse for political and commercial purposes has intensified in recent years. In light of this, we urge NCTE to sponsor a national reading and writing assignment for fall 2004 on Orwell’s 1984 for colleges, high schools, communities, and libraries. In support, the NCTE should create resources, forums, and websites for student, teacher, and community projects."
Posted by chuck at August 3, 2004 4:02 PM
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Comments
Yesterday, I was driving to work when I passed one of those giant highway traffic signs... you know, the kind that are on giant light boards and meant to tell you that a tractor trailor jack-knifed 20 miles up ahead and that you won't actually be making it in to work today... Anyway, it had what is becoming a common message in the DC area: Report suspicious activity. Call 1 - 800 - 251 - TIPS. Somewhere in the great beyond, Orwell is having a field day with this.
Posted by: CJ at August 4, 2004 8:59 AM
I'm surprised the phrase "loose lips sink ships" hasn't made a comeback. Also amazed by the Orwellian double speak of such phrases as "Clear Skies Initiative" and "No Child Left Behind."
So, did the truck have the message on the back, or was this message on the highway light board?
Posted by: chuck at August 4, 2004 12:19 PM